Once again, in a big-match ICC final, India’s top-order was shredded with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli failing to deliver when it was needed the most.
Ravi Shastri the former head coach of India said, “We talk about leaving the ball in England and we always talk about knowing where your off stump is. This is not knowing where your off stump is. See, Shubman Gill being a little lazy with his footwork. He will learn; he is still young, but Pujara will be very disappointing seeing that. It should have been a little further towards the ball and across the line of the ball. That’s why they keep telling you – know where your off stump is,”.
“That is leaving it poorly because the front foot has just gone across. It should be going towards the ball; he was looking to play it and then decided whether he should leave it. You see, the way he is leaving it, the off-stump is exposed. The front foot is still middle stump when it’s actually going towards off stump. Watch that front foot. It should be further across and towards the ball. He thought it was outside the off stump. It was an error in judgment,” Shastri said on air.
What was more disheartening to see was the fact that this was the same pitch where Pujara has scored truckloads of runs while playing for Surrey in County Championship over the last two years. In fact, even last year when India played the rescheduled fifth Test of the 2021 series against England at Edgbaston, Pujara was picked for his Surrey experience. He had disappointed there too and now here again at The Oval. Shastri opined that Gill making the mistake is understandable as it’s still early days for the youngster, but to see a 100-Test veteran Pujara not knowing where his off stump is a huge dejection in itself.